The days leading up to Arcade Wednesdays are an unusual mix of anticipation and trepidation for fans of Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade. More often than not the release is a barebones port of some ancient coin-op game older than most people playing the 360, but every once in awhile we're rewarded for our patience with a new or unique title that really reinforces the potential of the Live Arcade system. We've had Cloning Clyde and Small Arms among others, and now it's time for another fresh face: RoboBlitz.

RoboBlitz is the first game released to use the Unreal 3 Engine, and it feels almost like it's more tech-demo than it is a fully-fledged game. You'll assume the role of a maintenance robot named Blitz, who is tasked with the day-to-day upkeep of a giant space cannon and the station attached to it. Naturally this orbital defence platform is down for repairs when a nasty group of space pirates called the NOED arrive and attack. It should probably come as no surprise that Blitz is the last and only line of defence against these nefarious ne'er-do-wells, and thus begins what is an enjoyable – albeit brief – 3D puzzle platform adventure.

To get your giant space cannon up and running again, you'll have to take Blitz through six different sections of the space station – each comprising of two missions and a boss battle – and set up the various components you need for a working weapon. RoboBlitz makes extensive use of Unreal 3's advanced physics technology to create interactive puzzles that require you to manipulate the environment. You'll be manoeuvring mirrors, stacking boxes, throwing junk into shredders, and generally jumping and rolling all about the place.

Completing any one of these run-of-the-mill tasks will usually trigger a response from the invading NOED baddies, and then you'll be battling some of their scout robots in what can be fairly frantic third-person battles. Thankfully, Blitz can collect the handy substance known as Upgradium that is conveniently strewn across every level, and use it to purchase new abilities and weapons from the head janitor-bot, Karl. These include armour and speed enhancements to make Blitz tougher, as well as double-jump and jump extensions to increase your mobility. There's a bunch of new weapons too, including homing rockets and a hover-gun amongst others.

Karl will hook you up with a few free upgrades as you progress through the story, all of which are physics-based tools, and prove to be the most enjoyable aspect of the game. First up is the grapple, which allows Blitz to swing around and reach previously inaccessible areas, which encourages you to replay certain levels...if you want all the Achievements, anyway. Then there's the Point 2 Point gun (replete with jokes about P2P finally being used for good!) that allows you to create a tractor beam between one location and another. It's not really used that effectively with puzzles, but adhering enemies to the roof or walls is hilarious the first dozen or so times you do it. After that, well, then you'll probably just go back to shooting them.

That's the problem with RoboBlitz: there's a lot of very cool gadgets and things to do in the game, but once the initial novelty has worn off, they're just a means to an end, or even worse, just an annoyance. The implementation of physics and motion in the game is very realistic, and this causes a lot of headaches for what is essentially a light-hearted platform romp. Blitz rolls on a ball, so precisely controlling him or getting him to roll up ramps can be a pain, and when he is carrying items he'll often catch on walls or the floor and drop them. It's not that the game is buggy or anything like that, it's just a little too realistic.

However this is a fairly minor quibble, and if you stop for a moment to consider that Naked Eye has squeezed this entire game into a 50MB download, it's one that pales in comparison to just how impressive an achievement RoboBlitz is. It's easily the most ambitious Live Arcade title in terms of design and gameplay, and while the levels may feel a little sterile, it's a great indicator of what's to come on the arcade. The graphics are excellent for an arcade title (and would easily give AAA titles a run for their money on lesser systems); the levels range from mid-size to truly huge outdoor areas, and the lack of a HUD really keeps you focused on Blitz and the action around him. The sound and music gets the job done, and thanks to the physics-based toys and puzzles, the game can be a lot of fun.

RoboBlitz is not a terribly long game however, and should only take 4-6 hours to play even if you take your time. And unless you're desperate to nab all the Gamerscore points, there's little reason to replay once you've solved all the puzzles. It's worth mentioning that the game has some truly fiendish boss battles that will even put your old-school Contra's to shame, particularly on the harder difficulty setting, so there's a good amount of challenge to be had for those who want it.